New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson must seize control of chaotic tailspin

By all accounts, Tom Benson is standing by the men in charge of his football team.

Ellis Lucia / Times-Picayune ArchiveSince Hurricane Katrina, Saints owner Tom Benson, center, receded further into the background. But with head coach Sean Payton, left, and Mickey Loomis, right, now compromised, it might be time for Benson to step up into a more visible role for the beleaguered franchise.

The New Orleans Saints owner has pledged his full support to General Manager Mickey Loomis and Coach Sean Payton, despite their implication in the NFL bounty scandal.

Benson's loyalty should surprise no one. Loomis and Payton have led the franchise to unprecedented success on and off the field for the past six seasons. Along the way, they've earned lucrative raises and Benson's implicit trust.

But now they've led his club into an embarrassing abyss. The bounty scandal is the second black eye Loomis and Payton have delivered to the club in the past three offseasons. And it dwarfs anything the club endured during Benson's 26-year watch. The club's ill-advised post-Katrina dalliances with San Antonio and the tawdry Vicodin lawsuit of 2010 seem like child's play by comparison.

Forget the suspensions and lost draft picks. The damage to the club's once-Saintly image will cost the organization millions. The Saints have a full-blown public relations crisis on their hands. The feel-good post-Katrina narrative is gone for good. You know it's a big deal when the Senate Judiciary Committee starts to get involved.

It's admirable for Benson to stand by Loomis and Payton. But what he really needs to do is step forward and stand in front of them. He needs to lead. The time is now. The situation demands it.

To his credit, Benson has always taken a hands-off approach to the team's football operation. He understands his strengths. X's and O's aren't among them.

Over the years, he has wisely allowed his football people to perform the football work. Some of his colleagues could learn a lesson from his management style.

Since Katrina, Benson has strategically stepped farther into the shadows.

But this situation calls for Benson to step forward. It needs Benson to be hands-on.

He could start by walking into Loomis' office and demanding the completion of a long-term deal with quarterback Drew Brees.

The Saints need something, anything, good to happen right now. They are desperate for positive P.R. Other than the signings of receiver Marques Colston, guard Ben Grubbs and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, there's been little to cheer about for Saints fans.

The best way for the Saints to turn the tide, assuage the angst of fans and move the organization forward is to lock up Brees. Every day that passes without a long-term deal adds to the anxiety of the fan base and the rancor of the franchise quarterback.

The months-long negotiations need a boost. The silly standoff needs to cease. For the good of the organization and its loyal fans, Benson needs to insist on completing a long-term contract to ensure the face of the franchise ends his career with the franchise.

The Saints need Brees' leadership now more than ever. In the locker room. In front of the camera. In the community.

After insisting on a new deal, Benson then can turn his attention to other administrative matters.

Team sources indicated Thursday that the club was blindsided by the severity of Wednesday's sanctions. The staff held meetings Wednesday and Thursday to plot a course for the future.

Several questions must be answered between now and April 1, when Payton, the alpha dog of the organization, begins his one-year hiatus. Among them:

Who replaces linebackers coach Joe Vitt for the first six games of the regular season?

Who replaces Loomis to start the regular season?

Normally such decisions are left to Loomis and Payton. Benson would be wise to weigh in.

Benson's inner circle has always been small. Longtime advisers Stanley Rosenberg and Tom Roddy undoubtedly are at his side. Chief Financial Officer Dennis Lauscha remains a trusted source. But their expertise lies with the business side of the operation. Whom he leans on outside the organization for football advice is unclear. Whoever it is, he needs to have their input daily.

The Saints have shown admirable pluck in the face of adversity. They've overcome more in the past decade than most organizations face in a lifetime. This latest challenge, though, could be the most daunting of all.

The franchise faces a crossroads. The club's primary leaders have been marginalized. It needs its owner to become a leader again.

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Jeff Duncan can be reached at jduncan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3404.